'Maybe prepping isn't as extreme as it sounds': why you should be stocked up ahead of bad weather

If it feels like the weather has barely given us a break since Christmas, you’re not imagining it. recently reported that 26 weather stations recorded their wettest January on record, while more than 150 flood alerts have been put in force across the UK.

With such adverse weather comes growing concerns about everything from flooding and power cuts to the possibility of being snowed in at short notice.

And while we're still a ways off an apocalypse-level threat, having a few basic supplies ready is no longer the preserve of doomsday planners; it’s simply common sense.

Martin Pratt explains how a recent trip up north put him face-to-face with some extreme weather and inspired him to get his supply kit ready – and why you might want to do the same.

This column appears in the March 2026 issue of Which? Magazine. to get our monthly magazine, or if you're already a Which? member, add the magazine to your membership in your online account or call us on 029 2267 0000

You might not need a nuclear shelter, but preparing the basics is key

Martin Pratt, Which? lead researcher and writer, says:

'A friend in need led me to make an impromptu trip to Scotland in January. I landed at Aberdeen International airport to more snow than I’d ever seen. The north of Scotland is no stranger to annual blanketing, so I was shocked when my taxi driver said it was also the worst snowfall he had ever seen. It was, by UK standards, extreme weather.

Our nastiest storms can’t be compared to those elsewhere in the world, but this January, thousands of people in England were left without electricity. Infrastructure, not weather, is sometimes the problem. It’s why, for example, households in Tunbridge Wells regularly go without water.

In May 2025, a major supermarket supplier was hit with cyberattacks that left it unable to restock the likes of Aldi and Tesco. A more targeted attack across food distribution could affect whether we can buy groceries at all.

The idea of prepping for such events may evoke images of off-grid conspiracy theorists, but some level of organisation is clearly a good idea. The threats to our basic needs aren’t going to stop, and I feel it’s time I prepared.

The UK government recommends all homes have:

A torch

A first aid kit

A minimum of 2.5-3 litres of bottled water per person per day.

I’m considering going one step further than the UK recommendations and buying a power station. Essentially, this is a huge power bank that comes with power outlets to run appliances.

Which?

source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/maybe-prepping-isnt-as-extreme-as-it-sounds-aUUU12Z1QNTg